Lancea Sanctum Titles
Archbishop Archbishops have many responsibilities: they are responsible for the covenant's movement within a city, for monitoring the officers beneath them (and rooting out whatever weakness and inefficiency they find), and for serving as the foremost spiritual counselor within the domain. Effectively, the Archbishop deals with the "big picture" and then delegates authority to the Bishops serving below him to see that his will is carried out. Should the Archbishop take praxis over the domain they reside in, they retain their Sanctified title, rather than the more secular "Prince" title. Archbishops have high Status within their covenant - they are typically the highest-ranking Sanctified that any other members of their covenant will ever encounter. Alternate titles for Archbishop include: Episkopos, Exarch, Father/Mother Superior Bishop Bishops are the "true face" of Sanctified authority within a city. They work at the street leve to handle the night-to-night operations of the covenant. Bishops also perform Lancea Sanctum Apostolica regularly. Most cities with a Sanctified presence have a single Bishop, though even the most populous Sanctified cities rarely have more than three. In cities with multiple Bishops, the Bishops typically sit on a Synod; should an Archbishop come into the picture, the Synod takes an advisory role to the Archbishop. Bishops are directly responsible for the Priests of the city, and typically have decently high Status within their covenant. Alternate titles for Bishop include: Presbyter, Monsignor, Shepherd Cardinal This is a rare role for a Kindred in the covenant to take, as it requires both the "big picture" thinking and leadership of an Archbishop and the attention to minute details (training Priests) that a Bishop is typically responsible for. In effect, it is a combintion of the position of Archbishop and Bishop. Cardinals make sweeping decisions on Sanctified policy, and their decrees "trickle down" to the street level, where the action actually happens. Cardinals are typically spread thin due to all the multi-tasking they have to do, but some manage to make it work. Cardinals have the highest possible Status within their covenant (provided they can manage the multi-tasking and don't go insane). Alternate titles for Cardinal include: Vicar, Pontiff, Pontifex Crusader Crusaders are the "elite" warriors of the Lancea Sanctum. The position is extremely martial, and Crusaders are fearsome opponents in combat. Crusaders are heavily indoctrinated in the ways of the covenant, and spend most of their time adhering to rigid schedules of prayer and training. They are fanatics, bred to strike down the foes of the Lancea Sanctum without mercy. This position carries with it a degree of Status, a great deal of which comes from fear. Deacon Deacon is a lay position within the Lancea Sanctum. A Deacon is a lay member of the Sanctum given special authority by a Priest, Bishop, or Archbishop. The exact nature of their authority and duties varies from parish to parish. In Domains dominated by the Sanctum, the term is used to replace that of Primogen. The position of Deacon carries with it a small degree of Status. Inquisitor An Inquisitor is appointed to root out heresies in a domain, usually by policing the Sanctified themselves, though occasionally they are tasked with brining heretics in other covenants to heel (though this is rare in cities where the Sanctified do not rule). Inquisitors deliberately cultivate an image of fear, and serve their covenant as a "secret police" of sorts - for this reason, they must be highly-trusted individuals, and must have both strong martial ability and the keen investigative ability of a skilled detective. Though Inquisitors theoretically answer to no-one, they are subordinate to the priesthood. Most cities with more than a handful of Sanctified have at least one Inquisitor. Inquisitors typically have a low amount of Status, due mostly to the fact that Bishops and their ilk do not want to give their "secret police" greater authority than they themselves have. Lay Priest Such individuals study the Testament of Longinus and perform Ecclesia for individual Kindred or Coteries, but they have not been ordained and thus are not on par with the Priests on the Sanctum. Any Lay Priest who oversteps their authority and performs Apostolica will be severly punished. Legate The exact role of a Legate isn't very well defined. Most often, they serve spies, diplomats, representatives of a city (much like a Herald would), and more. The most important thing about a Legate is the fact that they travel. They are usually based in one area, serving a Bishop, Archbishop, or Cardinal, and travel to nearby cities to bring back information and forge ties between members of the covenant. Naturally, the insular nature of the Requiem makes this difficult, so such connections are rarely lasting or significant. A pivotal function of the Legate is their ability to perform Apostolica on behalf of the member of the Sanctified clergy that they're serving. Legates are, more often than not, diplomats. The number of Sanctified Kindred they meet (those that survive the dangers of travel, anyway) earns them a decent level of Status within their covenant. Ostiary Ostiary is a position within the Lancea Sanctum that translates roughly as "Keeper of the Door." The position is a martial one, and involves protecting the city (in the case of a Sanctum-dominated city) or Lancea Domain against outside influences. Typically, this involves patrol, investigation, and elimination of any threats discovered. The Ostiary reports to the Bishop or the Sheriff, again depending on how dominant the Sanctum is in any given city. The position of Ostiary carries with it some respect, but not enough to really increase any given Kindred's Status. Paladin Paladins are martial individuals that swear an oath of loyalty to a member of the clery, or to another member of the Sanctum who needs is (a Legate for example). Paladins sometimes submit to the Vinculum, but since many Sanctified frown upon this practice it doesn't happen too often. Paladins are well-trained individuals, and know a great deal about self defense and combat. The position of Paladin differs from that of Crusader in that the Paladin protects only one individual, rather than the whole covenant. Paladin is also a lay position, but it carries with it a modicum of Status. Parish Archivist Archivists keep records of anything the local Sanctified deem important, including both sacred texts such as the Testament of Longinus and other, more local writings. As a whole, the Lancea Sanctum does not maintain very modern records, so this is a difficult job - indeed, much of the Sanctum's history may have been lost to simple material degradation. This position is somewhat important, but not enough to carry with it any degree of Status. Priest While Bishops handle Sanctified affairs at the street level, Priests tend to individual Kindred, providing spirtual guidance and counseling. Priests are typically sociable individuals (as they are the ground-level Kindred that most other Kindred would deal with on a regular basis), but they must also be well-versed in the Testament of Longinus and must have some measure of detective skill, to report any bits of heresy they discover to the Inquisitors. There are typically two Priests per Bishop in a city, but the numbers can vary. In addition to oaths of loyalty to the covenant, Priests often take vows (perhaps to feed on only certain vessels, perhaps to perform Ecclesia for any coterie that asks, etc.) and wear easily-identifiable clothing, so that others may find them should they require confession. Priests typically have low Status in their covenant, as their public nature leaves them little time for political manuvering. Alternate titles for Priest include: Pastor, Father/Mother, Pendicant Saint The position is unofficial, but carries with it a huge amount of respect and honor. It is perhaps the holiest and most spiritual position in the Sanctum. Saints are almost always elders, and they are penitent and pious. Most Saints have been through Torpor at least once; some Saints are canonized posthumously. Some Saints even have their own "Saint's Night" that is celebrated as Apostolica within their home Domain. The position of Saint is incredibly important within the Lancea Sanctum, and carries with it a great deal of Status. Synod A Synod is a council of Bishops within a city. Typically, this council does not grow larger than three members. If the city has an Archbishop, the Synod will typically sit in an advisory role to the Archbishop. Category:Lancea Sanctum